Blood Is Thicker Than Water
by Pharaohyamifan
Summary: Yugi and the gang find an abused orphan, but is he really? Not good at summeries, but a longer and slightly better one inside. AU
1. Chapter 1: Finding The Abused

Blood Is Thicker Than Water 

**Summery:** Yugi and the gang discover an abused orphan that bares a remarkable resemblance to Yugi, and decide to take him away from his abusive foster parents, but they all begin to find out that the orphan has an awkward past with a few secrets of its own….

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Warning: This fic contains signs of abuse, so if you dont like, then dont read!

**Chapter One: Finding The Abused**

"Hey, Yugi! Wait up!" Joey called.

Yugi turned, to see Joey, Tristan and Téa running towards him. He smiled as they reached him and caught their breath.

"What do you say about us comin' over this afternoon?" Tristan asked.

"Sure, why not?" Yugi replied with a nod. The group began walking, and then decided to head for a shop to by drinks on the way home.

"We should take a short cut through that street," Téa said as she pointed. "It'll be quicker than going round."

The gang began walking along the street, taking in the clean-looking houses. Each one had bright windows and pale yellow doors.

Joey whistled. "Has anyone been in this street before?"

"I hardly come this way." Yugi replied. "It's been a few years since I last came down here." He suddenly lifted his head with a puzzled look on his face. "Hey, wait a minute, what's that sound?"

The group stopped and listened. Once they had grown quiet, they could hear a faint sound. It sounded like screaming.

"Is that someone screamin'?" Tristan asked.

Joey shuddered. "Maybe this is the kinda place where people get murdered."

"Don't be silly, Joey." Téa said. She took a few steps forward, listening carefully. "It's coming from that house."

The group looked, to see a house that looked just as clean and welcoming as all the others. Except this one was where the screaming was coming from.

"It sounds like a boy." Téa said. "What's going on?"

The group listened for a few more minutes, as they heard a male voice shouting along with the screaming.

"Shut up, brat! One more sound out of you and I swear I'll kill you!" It yelled.

Suddenly, the screaming was cut short. Silence followed.

"Oh, my gosh." Téa said quietly.

"Maybe we should check it out." Yugi suggested.

Joey looked at him. "Are you kiddin'? For all we know, there could be a mad person in that house, just waitin' for us."

Téa turned to face him. "You heard that voice. Whoever was screaming may be hurt. We can't just walk away, not after hearing that."

"But we can't just walk in there and see." Tristan said. "Maybe we should wait to see who comes out."

Yugi nodded. "Good idea."

"All right, all right." Joey relented. "And what do we do when they come out?"

"I don't know." Yugi replied, shrugging. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

The group fell silent and waited. About half an hour passed, and the front door of the house began to open. The gang quickly ducked down behind a big hedge to avoid being seen. As they watched, two people came out of the house and towards a blue car. One was female, with blonde hair and wearing a stylish red evening gown, and the other was a male, wearing a snazzy suit. They got into the car and then drove off, turning the corner and going out of sight.

"Well, now what?" Joey said.

Téa rose from her hiding spot, staring at the house. "Let's go see who they left behind."

"What?" Joey asked as the others stood up. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." Téa replied, walking towards the house. "That screaming sounded young. Not that young, but not an adult. They must have left someone inside."

Yugi nodded. "I'm with you, Téa. And besides, even if everything is okay and we just got the wrong end of the stick, it still wouldn't hurt to make sure."

Joey reluctantly followed the group as they approached the house. They knocked on the front door, but there was no answer.

"Let's look around the back." Tristan suggested.

"You do realise that this is trespassing?" Joey asked.

No one answered, as they quietly crept around the side to the back of the house. As they passed a window, Téa looked inside.

It was a mess. There was a chair lying on its side and a table pushed against the wall, and Téa was sure that there was a tiny puddle of blood near the corner of the room. There were also a few shattered plates and glasses on the floor.

Suddenly, something moved! A shadow in the corner of the room suddenly made a dash for the door, disappearing from Téa's sight but not before she could identify it.

"There is someone in there." She whispered. "I saw someone move."

The others nodded as the group reached the back garden, which was beautifully decorated with roses and other flowers. Téa crept over to the back door and gripped the handle, and then became surprised.

"It's not locked." She announced.

Yugi and the others walked over to the door, and then to their surprise Téa slowly opened the door and peered inside.

"We shouldn't go in there." Joey hissed. "What if those two people come back?"

Téa looked at him. "They were dressed for a night out, so they won't be back for a few hours yet. Let's go."

Joey groaned, but he followed the rest of the gang as they crept into the house. They found themselves in the kitchen, which was decorated with white tiles. The group walked out of the kitchen, into the room that Téa had seen, and surveyed the mess.

"Man, something sure happened here." Tristan said.

Téa walked over to a corner and knelt down. She slowly pressed her fingers on the floor and then looked at them, to see fresh blood smeared on her fingers.

"I thought so." She mused as the group walked over to her and saw the blood.

Before anyone could say anything, a loud thud appeared to the left, through the door where Téa had seen the shadow run to. Immediately after that, they heard the sound of hurried footsteps, heading up a set of stairs.

"Let's get outta here." Joey pleaded. "Someone knows we're here."

Téa ignored him and walked towards the door. "We can't go."

Yugi, Tristan and Joey followed Téa as she walked through the door. The front door was there, and a set of stairs was directly opposite it. A coat rack lay on its side on the floor, clearly the source of the noise.

Téa looked up the stairs, and then began to walk up them, followed by the rest of the group. They got about halfway up when they caught sight of a door just as it closed.

"I guess whoever's here doesn't want to talk to us." Tristan said.

Téa sighed, and then she got to the top of the stairs and walked to the door. She turned the handle to find that it was unlocked, and then she slowly pushed the door open. The room within looked like a bedroom that a teenager would have. The walls were painted blue, and the bed looked ruffled.

"Okay." Téa said in a soft whisper. "Joey, you stay by the door so whoever is in here doesn't get out. We'll look around – he has to be here somewhere."

Everyone nodded, and then began to look. Yugi checked in a closet, but found only cardboard boxes. Tristan looked under the bed, but only found cobwebs, and Téa looked in all the corners, but also found nothing. Then, a faint bump alerted the group towards the wardrobe on the far side of the room. Yugi, Tristan and Téa walked over to it, and then Tristan, being the biggest, reached out and pulled open both doors. He, Yugi and Téa then became surprised at what they saw.

Inside the wardrobe were the usual things – clothes and a pair of shoes, but also something else. Trying to hide in the corner of the wardrobe was a young boy, about the gang's age, but to the surprise of the group he looked very similar to Yugi. He was about half a foot taller than Yugi, and his hair stood up intensely in the shape of a star. The bulk of his hair was black, with crimson around the rims, and a long golden bang shot up each arm of the star, while two longer golden bangs hung down each side of his face – the two to his right pointing straight down, and the two to his left whipping past his ear. Basically he looked like a more intense version of Yugi, and his crimson eyes were a little more intense but also fraught with fear. He was wearing a dark blue sweatshirt and a pair of black tracksuit trousers, but they didn't hide the bruises on his hands and face. Also, the youth had a conspicuous scar running down the right side of his face, starting above his eyebrow and ending just at his upper jaw, going over his right eye on the way. Each time he blinked, which was rather frequently, his right eyelid would also show the scar.

"Whoa." Tristan said.

Téa took a step forward towards the youth, who tried to huddle into the corner of the wardrobe a little more. "Hey, are you okay?"

The youth didn't reply, and instead began to tremble.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Joey asked from the other side of the room.

Yugi turned his head to look at him. "We've found someone, but he's scared out of his wits, and heavily bruised."

"It's okay, you can come out." Téa said gently to the youth.

"We're friends, we won't hurt you. We came because we were worried about you."

The youth gave a faint look of confusion, but then he shuddered and tried to get further away from the group.

Téa, refusing to give up, slowly held out her hand. "I promise, none of us are going to hurt you."

The youth watched Téa move her hand towards him, considering his options. After all, she had promised not to harm him, so he resisted the urge to move away. Téa noticed this and slowly moved closer, and then she gently placed her hand the youth's shoulder. The youth winced faintly, but didn't pull away.

"There you go." Téa said. "Now, can you come out of there?"

The youth looked at her for a long moment, and then he slowly nodded. Téa pulled away as the youth slowly and stiffly made his way out of the wardrobe, but he still held on to the door for either comfort or support.

"Are you okay, bud?" Tristan asked. The youth shuddered again, but didn't make a verbal response.

Téa slowly put her hand on his shoulder again, but then she noticed a bloody mark in the wardrobe. She looked down, to see that the youth was barefoot, and his left ankle had a cut at the side. The wound was trickling blood, slowly but evenly.

"Hey, you're hurt." She said. "Who did this to you?"

The youth again didn't reply, but he seemed a little more relaxed around the group. He leaned against the door a little more and closed his eyes, once again showing the full length of the scar on his face.

"So now what do we do?" Joey asked.

Téa gazed at the youth, and then glanced at his wound. "Well, I think we should take him with us. It's obvious that he isn't safe here."

"Too right." Yugi agreed, and then he looked at the youth. "Do you want to come with us? You'll be safer."

The youth blinked at Yugi's question and gazed at each of the others in turn, and then he met Yugi's gaze once more and nodded.

"But what about those guys?" Joey asked. "Won't they wonder where he is?"

Téa looked at him, and then at the room. "To be honest, I don't think they'd care."

The youth slowly knelt down, took the shoes out of the wardrobe, and slid them onto his feet, doing so gingerly with his left foot.

"Okay." Téa said. She reached out and gently took hold of the

youth's left arm, and began to lead him towards the door, but then the youth stopped and pulled out of Téa's grasp. He looked thoughtful for a few moments, and then he limped over to the bed and picked up the pillow. As the group watched, the youth dug his hand into the pillow for a few moments, and then pulled out something. It was some kind of pendent, shaped like an upside down triangle, with an etching of a bird of some sort on it. The youth gazed at it and then put it around his neck.

"I guess that's pretty special to you." Yugi said. The youth nodded.

Téa glanced out of the bedroom window, looking at the street, but saw no sign of the blue car. "We'd better get going. There's no telling when those guys will be back."

The group and the youth left the room and made their way down the stairs, and then Tristan opened the front door. The youth looked outside with a puzzled look on his face, which the gang noticed.

"I take it you didn't go out much?" Téa said.

The youth looked at her, and then shook his head.

"Well, don't worry." Joey said. "You're safe with us. We'll take care of ya."

AN: Well, there you have it! Good, bad or in the middle? Please let me know with a review!


	2. Chapter 2: Home sweet home?

**Hello, updating here! Unfortunately, the name of the youth will not be revealed until the end of the third chappie, so please be patient!**

**I don't own YuGiOh, wish i did, but I don't.**

**Oh, and there are signs of child abuse in this chappie, so to warn you if you're young, don't read!**

**Anyway, here we go!**

**Chapter Two:**

The group walked to Yugi's home, the Game Shop, as quickly as possible, helping the youth walk with his bad ankle. Once they reached Yugi's home, the gang went inside.

"Grandpa! I'm home." Yugi called.

A few moments passed, and then Solomon appeared. "Hello, Yugi. You're later than usual, what-" He had just caught sight of the youth. "Who is this?"

"We don't know." Yugi admitted. "We took a short cut down a street, when we heard someone screaming. We waited until two adults went out, and then we went in and found him there, scared half to death."

Solomon walked towards the youth, but then stopped when he noticed the youth begin to tremble again. "What's the matter? I won't hurt you."

"I think those adults abused him." Téa said. "He has a cut on his ankle, and he was so afraid of us finding him that he hid in a wardrobe."

"I see." Solomon mused, looking at the scar on the youth's face. "It looks that way. Well, don't be frightened, little one. We won't harm you."

The youth's trembling subsided slightly, but he still looked afraid.

Téa gently put her hand on the youth's shoulder to offer comfort. "This is Yugi's grandfather. You'll be safe with him, and us."

The youth finally stopped trembling, and then for the first time he even gave a little smile, much to the group's relief.

"Well, then." Solomon said. "I think we'd better get you cleaned up – you look absolutely filthy." He gently took the youth's bruised hand and began to lead him up the stairs. "The rest of you wait in the lounge."

The group did as they were told, as Solomon took the youth up into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

"Now, young one." He said softly. "Let's get you washed and into some clean clothes. If you'll just remove your sweatshirt."

The youth hesitated, and then he slowly pulled off his dark blue sweatshirt, to reveal a black sleeveless t-shirt. Solomon walked over to the sink and turned on the tap, and then dipped a flannel into the warming water. He then rinsed out the flannel and walked over to where the youth was seated on the rim of the bathtub. He gently placed the cloth onto the youth's left shoulder and began to rub off the dirt and grime on his skin. A few minutes passed in silence, and then Solomon saw that the youth's shoulder, now cleaned of dirt, was covered in scars and bruises. The elderly Motou looked shocked at one particular scar, and then he lifted the youth's left arm and cleaned it, to reveal more scars and bruises, much to his disturbance. Solomon was also able to get the youth to remove his t-shirt so he could clean his upper body, and saw that he was covered in the bruises, burns, scars and even a few fresh scratches.

"Have you had these scars long?" Solomon asked.

The youth looked at him, and then nodded.

Solomon sighed. "Did this happen to you often?"

Another nod was the response. But then, as Solomon rose to go to the sink again, the youth suddenly broke down and began sobbing quietly. The elderly Motou quickly went back to the youth's side and put his arms around the youth's shoulders.

"Shh, shh…." Solomon softly hushed the youth. "Looks like you've been holding back a lot of stress…. It's okay, let it out…." He hugged the youth's shoulders and gently patted his back, rocking him back and forth to try to comfort him. The youth sobbed rather quietly for a few more minutes, and then he wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and fell silent once more.

Solomon looked at him. "Okay, young one. I'm going to fill the basin with water, and then I'll leave the room so you can clean up without getting embarrassed. I'll be right outside if you need me, so don't be afraid to ask. Now, let's find you some clean clothes to wear, because I think that what you have now won't do."

After getting some clothes and filling the basin with warm water, Solomon walked out of the bathroom and closed the door. He waited for about a minute before he heard the youth splash the water a little. About five more minutes passed before the youth slowly opened the bathroom door. Solomon smiled as the youth nervously stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a pair of navy blue sweatpants and a grey short-sleeved t-shirt with a dark blue bathrobe, and he was still barefoot.

"There you are." Solomon said, holding a first aid kit. "Now, let's sort out that cut on your ankle." He knelt down and gently cleaned and dressed the wound, before giving the youth a pair of blue slippers to wear on his feet.

Solomon and the youth walked downstairs, and went into the lounge, where the group was waiting.

"Hey, you look better." Joey said.

Téa smiled. "Yeah."

"Are you hungry?" Solomon asked. "I can fix you some soup if you like."

The youth showed a little enthusiasm as he nodded. Solomon smiled and walked into the adjoining kitchen, while the youth sat down at the table with the rest of the group. About a minute later Solomon called Yugi over to help him in the kitchen.

"Yugi, that boy isn't as well as he's trying to let on." Solomon whispered to him.

"Huh? What's the matter? Has he said anything?" Yugi asked.

Solomon shook his head. "No, but he didn't have to. His body is covered in scars, burns and bruises. I'd say he was abused very harshly. And he hasn't eaten for a while – I could practically see his ribcage through his skin."

Yugi looked shocked. "How could they do that to him? And why?"

"I don't know, but there is a way we can find out how he got there." Solomon softly whispered. "While I was helping him clean up, I noticed a burn on the back of his left shoulder, shaped into a logo – like he was branded."

"A logo?" Yugi repeated. "Of what?"

Solomon looked serious. "Of a company. I think it'll be better if you saw it for yourself, but let's just get him fed and rested first." He picked up a bowl of hot soup and placed it on a tray, along with a piece of warm bread and a glass of cold water. He took the tray out and gave it to the youth, who then ate the food like there was no tomorrow, showing his hunger. He didn't waste a drop of soup and water or a crumb of bread. Solomon even brought a second helping of soup and bread when he noticed that the youth was still hungry, and that was gratefully accepted as well.

"You really like soup, don't you?" Solomon said with a chuckle.

The youth smiled and nodded.

"So, what do we do now?" Joey asked.

Téa looked thoughtful, and then she leaned slightly towards the youth. "Did your parents do this to you?"

The youth froze and looked at her, and then shook his head with a bit of a disgusted look on his face.

"Oh, they weren't your parents?" Solomon asked. The youth shook his head again.

Joey looked confused. "So why were you there?"

Yugi sighed. "You're an orphan, aren't you?" A nod came as the response.

"I'm sorry." Téa said softly, putting her hand on the youth's shoulder again. The youth responded by giving a faint smile, and then he continued eating.

Solomon leaned forward. "Young one, I noticed a particular scar on your shoulder, and I'd like my grandson to look at it. Is that okay with you?"

The youth looked at him, and then he turned his gaze to look at Yugi, who gave an assuring smile. The youth then sighed and nodded. Pushing the now empty bowl away, the youth then removed the dark blue bathrobe. The gang immediately took note of his scarred skin and the fact that he was a little noticeably thin, as Yugi moved behind where the youth was sitting and looked at the youth's left shoulder. Yugi then gave a faint gasp and put his hand over his mouth.

"That logo…." He murmured.

"Huh?" Joey said. "What logo?"

Yugi gently put his hand on the youth's shoulder, which winced under the touch. "Is it okay if they see?"

After getting a nod from the youth, the rest of the gang looked at his shoulder, and became just as surprised at what they saw.

Right in the centre of the youth's left shoulder blade, which was also covered in scars and bruises, was a deep burn mark about the size of an egg and almost perfectly circular, shaped into a logo. The logo itself was simply two capital letters – obviously initials. But what surprised the group was the meaning of the initials… they were a K and a C, hooked together…. It was the official logo of Kaiba Corporation.

"Kaiba Corp?" Joey nearly exclaimed. "What do they have to do with this?"

Téa gently put her hand on the youth's shoulder again. "How long have you had that mark? Months? Years?"

The youth had shaken his head when Téa said months, but then nodded when she said years, indicating the latter as the response.

"But why would he have the Kaiba Corp logo branded on him like that?" Tristan asked.

Solomon shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we should call Kaiba and tell him about this. It could involve his company somehow."

Yugi looked thoughtful, and then he leaned on the table, next to the youth. "Do your foster parents work at Kaiba Corp?"

The youth nodded in response, and then he picked up the glass of water to drink, and the group noticed that his hands were trembling a little.

"Well, I'm gonna go there right now and find Kaiba!" Joey said boldly.

"No." Solomon interjected. "You can go there in the morning, being Saturday. But right now, our young friend looks like he could use a rest."

He was right. The youth looked very tired, like he hadn't slept for days. The gang all gave nods in agreement.

"You can all stay the night if you want." Solomon continued. "The young one can use the spare room for now."

Téa patted the youth's shoulder. "Is that okay with you? We'll all be around if you need anything during the night."

The youth gave another smile and nodded, and then he yawned a little.

Solomon smiled. "Well, I think someone's ready for bed. Come on, I'll show you where you can sleep tonight." He helped the youth pile the dishes on the tray and then took him out of the room, going to the upstairs spare room. The group waited for a few minutes, and then began talking.

"What do you think they branded him with Kaiba Corp's logo for?" Joey asked.

Yugi shrugged. "I don't have a clue. There has to be a reason, though."

"Maybe they wanted him to work for Kaiba Corp when he got old enough." Tristan suggested.

"I just don't know how people can be so cruel." Yugi said with a sigh. "He won't speak, so we can't name the people who hurt him. And if we get him to point them out personally, they could hurt him even more."

Joey huffed. "I got another question. Why would they take him in if they would beat 'im and starve 'im?"

"I think it's sick." Téa retorted. "They've beaten him to the brink of withdrawn silence! It takes a lot for him to even smile, never mind trust anyone."

It was then that Solomon returned, without the youth. "Poor little mite. He fell asleep as soon as he lay down. I think he was so frightened of his foster parents that he got very little sleep at night, for fear of more beatings."

"Did he say anything yet?" Yugi asked.

Solomon shook his head sadly. "No. He's still wary, but he's getting used to us, and from I've seen, he's been through absolute hell. While you kids go see Kaiba about this, I'll see what I can figure out about him."

"Okay. We'll go see Kaiba in the morning." Yugi said. "Maybe we can even get him to come here and see him for himself."

AN: Ok,I put Kaiba in. But what has Kaiba got to do with the orphan? Find out next chapter! In the meantime, please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Computer revealation

**I Don't Own Yu-Gi-Oh! This goes for all the chapters and fics i have!**

**Ok, tantrum over, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Three:**

The morning came without any disturbance, and Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Téa left the Game Shop to go to Kaiba Corporation. Solomon stayed behind, with the hopes of getting the young orphan to talk.

About half an hour after they left, Yugi and the gang arrived at Kaiba Corp. After getting into a faint argument with the receptionist, the gang were allowed to go into the lift to the office where Kaiba and Mokuba were waiting. Once they arrived, the gang told Kaiba about where and how they found the orphan.

"What does this have to do with me?" Kaiba asked.

Yugi sighed. "Well, we brought him home with us so he'd be safer, and my grandpa found a mark on him that is shaped like your company logo."

"Yeah, and we know that the guys who beat 'im work for you." Joey added.

Kaiba shrugged. "There are several people working for me who have children. If you can't give me a name of the so-called abusive parents, nothing can be done."

"But they've beaten him so much he's too frightened to even speak!" Téa said. "If we didn't find him when we did, those creeps might've killed him!"

"Do you have any idea who these people are at all?" Mokuba asked.

Yugi shook his head. "No, but I think that if you talked to him, maybe you can encourage him to talk."

"I don't have time to deal with a mute kid." Kaiba replied. "We already have enough problems here."

Téa walked over to the desk and angrily thumped her hands against it, making Kaiba jump slightly in surprise. "Kaiba, you of all people should know what it's like to be an orphan – especially one who wasn't treated right. This boy was beaten badly, why we don't know, and now we need your help to help him put this behind him – just like you've put your time as an orphan behind you."

Kaiba looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. But she was right: Kaiba did know what it felt like to be an orphan, and even he didn't want other people to go through the same if they didn't have to.

"Please, Kaiba." Yugi said. "You may be the only one who has even a remote idea of what this boy has gone through…. You may be the only one who'll understand."

Kaiba still looked surprised, but then he closed his laptop, picked it up, and rose to his feet. He looked at Mokuba, who gave an encouraging smile.

"All right." Kaiba said at last. "I'll give him an hour."

The group of teenagers, and Mokuba, took Kaiba's limo back to the Game Shop. They walked into the lounge, to find Solomon and the youth sitting at the dining table with several books scattered around.

"Ah, there you are." Solomon said.

Kaiba looked at the youth, who seemed to be too absorbed in reading a book to notice the CEO's presence. "Is this the orphan?"

The youth froze at the sound of Kaiba's voice, and then he peeked over the top of the book to look in Kaiba's direction, meeting the sable-haired Duelist's gaze. The youth looked shocked and dropped the book, and then he stood up and backed off, before bumping into the wall and then running out of the room. The group watched him go with puzzled looks on their faces.

"What was that all about?" Mokuba asked.

Téa walked across the room towards the door where the youth had run. "I think he's scared. I'll get him." She walked out of the room and looked around, to find the youth sat under the stairs, hiding underneath them and trembling.

"Hey, it's okay." Téa said softly, kneeling down in front of the youth. "That's just Kaiba and his brother. They won't hurt you."

The youth still trembled, and the look of fear on his face made Téa worry.

Téa slowly put out her hand. "Don't be afraid. I'll tell you what, I'll go back into the lounge, and if you want you can stay here until Kaiba goes away. But if you feel a little better in a few minutes, then you can come back, okay?"

The youth listened carefully, and then closed his eyes. He stayed like that for a moment or two, and then he opened his eyes once more and slowly nodded.

Téa smiled and stood up. She then turned and walked back towards the lounge. But then, as she entered the doorway, she noticed something that she hadn't before.

"The logo…." She said quietly.

The group looked puzzled, as Joey asked, "Huh?"

Téa shook her head slightly. "He saw the logo. That's why he got scared."

"Wait, what logo?" Kaiba demanded.

Téa pointed to the sable-haired CEO. "The Kaiba Corp logos on your outfit. He must have thought that his foster parents sent you to get him back."

Kaiba huffed. "Why would he be scared of the Kaiba Corp logo?"

"Because the creeps who beat 'im branded 'im with your logo." Joey replied.

Yugi nodded. "That's the other reason why we came to see you."

"Mr Motou, did you get him to speak yet?" Tristan asked.

Solomon shook his head. "No, he's as quiet as a mouse. I've found out that he can read, but not write."

"Why would his foster parents burn our logo into him?" Mokuba asked.

Joey suddenly held out a hand. "Shush, he's back."

The group turned to look, and saw the boy peeking around the corner of the door.

"Hey there." Téa said softly, ushering the youth into the room. "Come on, it's okay. No one's going to hurt you here."

The youth hesitated, but then he slowly re-entered the room and sat down at the dining table. Kaiba pulled up a chair, set the laptop on the table, and then sat down at the opposite side of the table.

"Now, what's your name?" He asked. The youth lowered his gaze and didn't respond.

Mokuba looked puzzled. "What happened to his face?"

"We don't know." Téa said. "Kaiba, now do you see how badly your employees treated him?"

Kaiba sighed, and then he opened his laptop. "I can check the employee records, and narrow it down to employees who has adopted a child." He began tapping at the keyboard, but then after a few minutes he suddenly yelled "Shit! It's happened again!"

"Huh? What's up?" Yugi asked.

"Someone sent a computer virus into the Kaiba Corp mainframe." Kaiba replied as he pushed the laptop away. "It screws up the system every time we try to use it. We don't even know how it was triggered…."

The youth was staring at the laptop the whole time, and then he slowly reached over and pulled the laptop in front of him, catching everyone by surprise.

"Hey, that isn't something for you to play with." Kaiba warned.

"Wait a minute, Kaiba." Yugi interjected. "Let's see what he does."

The group fell silent and crowded around the youth as he tapped a button on the laptop a few times. Suddenly, a digital image of a Kuriboh appeared on the screen, chirping happily, and then another one appeared, and another. In a matter of seconds dozens of Kuriboh had appeared on the screen, blocking the view and chirping.

"That's the virus." Kaiba said.

The youth ignored him, and then he directed the built-in mouse and began clicking the Kuriboh as they appeared. Then, another window filled with strange symbols appeared on the screen, along with a chime. The youth clicked on one of the symbols, and then clicked another one. The screen cleared of all the Kuriboh except one, who chirped away and bounced in the middle of the screen. Then, the head of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared at the side of the screen. The Kuriboh suddenly looked worried as the Blue-Eyes turned to look at it, and then the dragon attacked it with White Lightning. The screen was filled with the attack and when it cleared once more, the Kuriboh was reduced to ash. Finally, a window appeared on the screen with the words 'Virus Destroyed' in flashing red and yellow letters.

Kaiba lost his voice for a few moments, and then he cleared his throat and tapped at the laptop, checking the computer. "He… he destroyed the virus…. The laptop's entire mainframe has been cleared of the virus."

"Whoa." Joey said.

Kaiba looked at the youth, who now had his hands on his lap and his gaze lowered. "How did you know what to do about the virus? How did you know what those symbols meant? Even Kaiba Corp's best technicians couldn't decipher them."

The youth didn't respond. Téa gently put her hand on the youth's shoulder.

"You're good at computers, aren't you?" She said.

"You know who did this, don't you?" Kaiba demanded. Everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean, he knows who did this?" Joey asked.

Kaiba looked at him. "My technicians told me that for that virus to get into the Kaiba Corp mainframe, the person who did it had to be in the company – the person had to be working for Kaiba Corp!"

The group looked surprised, and then Kaiba looked at the youth again. "You know who sent that virus, so tell me!"

The youth shivered at the anger in Kaiba's voice, and he closed his eyes and began to tremble, obviously expecting something.

"Don't yell at him, Kaiba!" Téa said. "He thinks you're going to hurt him!"

Yugi quickly placed his hand on the youth's shoulder. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you. Now, do you know who sent that virus?"

The youth looked at him, and then slowly nodded.

"Who? Who sent it?" Kaiba said, a little less sternly.

The youth looked at everyone in turn, and then he took them all by surprise, by pointing a slightly trembling finger at himself.

"You?" Joey asked in disbelief. "You sent it?"

The youth nodded again, lowering his gaze once more.

"But you didn't want to… did you?" Téa said softly, to which the youth shook his head in response.

"Are you saying that your foster parents, who work for Kaiba Corp, forced you to send that virus to the mainframe?" Mokuba asked.

The youth nodded again, and then he reached over to the laptop and directed the built-in mouse so it pointed at a word on the screen.

"'Create'?" Kaiba read aloud. "You created that virus as well?"

As the youth nodded in response to the question, realisation dawned on Yugi's face as an idea came to mind. "That must be why they adopted him. They used his computer skills to create and send a virus that your system couldn't handle."

Kaiba looked at him. "But if he is an orphan, how can he develop such advanced computer skills? It takes years to learn that kind of ability."

Mokuba suddenly clicked his fingers. "Hey, I got it!" He quickly walked over to stand beside the youth. "Did you know how to use a computer when they adopted you?"

The youth closed his eyes, thinking hard, and then he put his thumb and index finger close together to indicate a little.

"That could be it." Mokuba said. "These guys must have adopted you, and then taught you about computers so you could create and send a virus to our system."

"But the question is, why?" Joey said. "Why would they get him to send a virus to the company that they work for?"

Kaiba shrugged. "It's obvious that we're dealing with spies from a rival company, sent to disrupt Kaiba Corp." He then looked down at the youth. "Now, I believe they wanted to hit us where it hurts, so they adopted him and then trained him to disrupt us."

"I get it." Téa said. "With your past as orphans, what would be a better way to have your company taken down than by an orphan?"

"Exactly." Kaiba said, and then he spoke to the youth. "Now, I think you knew about this all along, didn't you?" After getting a nod in response he continued. "I want you to tell us everything you know about your foster parents – and I mean everything. Who they work for, what company, I want all of it."

The youth shuddered, and remained silent.

"I don't think he's up to talking yet." Solomon said. "He still needs time. From the state he was in, I'd say that those foster parents beat him to make sure he'd learn what they wanted him to. In other words, he made and sent that virus under extreme abuse."

Téa looked at the youth. "Is that the first foster family you've had?"

The youth shook his head.

"How many have you had, including that one?"

The youth looked thoughtful, and then he held up four fingers.

"Whoa." Joey said. "And were they all that bad?"

The question obviously struck a nerve, because tears began to form in the youth's eyes, but he quickly blinked them away before they could fall and nodded.

Téa didn't really know what to say, so she gently put her arm around the youth's shoulders to offer comfort. The youth reciprocated by giving a faint smile.

"I'll make you a deal." Kaiba said. "You tell us everything, and you have my word that you'll get a good foster family. How does that sound?"

The youth looked up at him with a look of pure fear, shaking his head quickly and trying hard not to shed tears.

"I think he's had enough of orphanages and foster families." Yugi said. "I have a better idea. You help us as best as you can, and you can have whatever you want."

The youth looked at him with a surprised look on his face. He closed his eyes for a few moments, thinking hard, and then he reached into his t-shirt and pulled out the pendent he was wearing, and stared at it for a moment. He then held it out for Yugi to see.

Yugi looked at the pendent. It was a triangular-shaped metal, with an emblem of a red fiery phoenix.

"Where did you get this?" Yugi asked.

The youth looked at the pendent again, and then held it over his heart.

Solomon nodded in understanding. "I think he's had that since he was a baby. It must have been from his real family." The youth nodded at his words.

"So you want to find your real family?" Téa asked.

The youth nodded again.

"Okay." Mokuba said. "Here's the deal. You help us, and we'll help you find your real family, okay?"

The youth gave another smile as he nodded, still holding the pendent against his heart.

"Well, how about we take it one step at a time." Solomon suggested.

Kaiba nodded, and then he gently pushed the laptop closer to the youth. "Since you don't want to speak, you can use the laptop to answer our questions." Then, to the surprise of the group, his face turned gentle. "I know how it feels to be an orphan, so we'll let you have a couple of days to settle your nerves. After that, we'll set to work, okay?"

The youth gazed up at the tall CEO, looking thoughtful, and then he slowly nodded.

"Good." Kaiba replied. "Now I'm only going to ask one question for now. For us to make a start, we need to know your name."

For a few moments, the youth lowered his gaze in thought. The gang patiently waited until he finally looked at the laptop and opened an empty document. He hesitated for a moment or so more before he slowly typed four letters onto the screen.

YAMI

"That's your name?" Téa asked. After the youth nodded, she smiled. "Well, that's a nice name. It's nice to finally meet you, Yami."

Unbeknown to anyone, a pair of eyes had widened at the word on the screen, and the owner of those eyes wondered _"could it be…?"_

AN: Ok, the name of the youth has been revealed, but i'm sure you all knew who it was anyway! What do you think? I'm a bit stuck for the next chapter, but the idea of Yami's point of view just came to mind. If you want it like that, put it in your review, if not I'll just keep it like this! Review!


	4. Chapter 4: Can You Talk?

**Fourth chappie up, people!**

**Disclaimer: don't own YuGiOh!**

**Warning: Scenes of child abuse. Don't like don't read!**

**Chapter 4: Can You Talk?**

Yami's P.O.V.

Was I dreaming? Did these people actually care?

No one cared before. They would adopt me for one of two reasons: Either because they wanted to hurt me, or they wanted the childhood benefit money.

But they never cared.

Sure, when a social worker came round to check up on me it _seemed_ fine. My foster parents would act all lovy-dovy and shower me with hugs and kisses, but I knew the truth.

They wanted me to ruin KaibaCorp!

_(Flashback)_

I lay on the ground, my limbs numb and bruises quickly forming. I had failed to create a virus that would destroy KaibaCorp's system, and now I was getting punished for it.

"How useless can you be!" My 'father' yelled as he threw another object at me. I could barely make it out as the tv remote, but I felt it when it struck my side.

"Maybe we should just take him back, dear?" My 'mother' said in pretend concern.

'Father' shook his head. "No, we've worked too hard to train him, we can't start over."

Great. That meant I was stuck here.

A boot collided with my ribs, but I had lost my voice from all my previous screaming.

"You _will_ get it done by tomorrow, _understand_!"

I nodded slowly, any faster and it would hurt.

"Good!" 'Father' smirked, and then he walked over to where 'mother' was and they sat down.

Leaving me on the ground.

"By next week, Kaiba Corproationn will be nothing but a memory." I heard one of them muse before I passed out.

_(End Flashback)_

I cringed as I remembered that day. I had been dragged to my room a little later, where I tended to my wounds the best I could.

No one else would. No one did when they gave me the scar...

_(Flashback)_

Smash!

Oh, no!

I knelt down beside the plat I had dropped, picking up the pieces as quickly asI could. I had only been here two weeks, and already I felt like I'd been through hell.

The kitchen door slammed open to reveal my 'parents', and my 'mother' ran to where the remains of the plate lay.

"Oh, my! my favourate plate!" She shreiked before glaring at me. "You clumsy brat!"

That wasn't too bad. I'd been called worse.

'Father' yanked me up by the collar of my shirt. "Look at what you've done! Why are you so stupid!"

I may have answered, but then 'father' threw me across the room. I had barely recovered when the first foot hit me.Crying out, I lamely tried to defend myself, but it was no use. Then I felt myself being lifted again before being thrown again, this time crashing into the counter. The force of the hit madfe something wobble on the edge before it fell down.

Right on top of me.

Pain!

I cried out again, pressing my hand against my face where the pain had come from. I felt something wet and removed my hand, thinking they were tears.

It wasn't! It was blood!

I looked around, to find myself surrounded by knives and forks. The tray must have fallen off the counter when I hit it, and something had cut my face! All I could see with my right eye was red. I had a few othert cuts from the other utensils, but the one on my face was the worst.

I heard 'father' laugh above me. "Let that be a lesson to you. Don't play with sharp objects. Now get out of here! I don't want to see you again for the rest of the day!"

I Got up as fast as I could, blood dripping down my face, and ran out of the room. I went straight up to my room and closed the door, and then I went to the mirror to look at the damage.

I had a cut from my right eyebrow to my jaw, blood streaming. I wasn't sure if I needed stitches, but it wouldn't matter. It was definately going to leave a scar.

_(End Flashback)_

I felt a tear run down my cheek as I recalled that. It turned out that the wound on my face didn't need stitches, but it still hurt. And my 'parents' didn't even come to check on me until the next morning, and even then they only wanted me to clean up the mess in the kitchen.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I flinched on instinct at the voice, but then relaxed when I saw the girl from the group who rescued me. Tea, I think her name is. I nodded to her as the put her hand on my shoulder, and then I yawned.

"Looks like someone needs a nap, eh?" The old man said. I nodded again as another yawn forced its way out. "Come on then, let's get you to bed."

He led me upstairs like he had last time, taking me to the spare room. I had been a little nervous about going in, as I was still afraid of these people, but now it wasn't so bad. Walking in, I went to the bed and sat down, and then the old man tucked me in.

No one did that before.

"You know, little one, you don't have to be afraid." The old man said softly as he drew the covers. "We won't treat you like those horrible people did." He then looked thoughful. "I don't mean to pry, but are you able to talk at all?"

I considered shaking my head, that way they wouldn't keep asking me to talk, but then again they were being so nice. I nodded in response. Part of me wanted to talk, but the moment I tried to even open my mouth, fear would clog up my throat.

The old man smiled. "Well, when you're ready to talk, you just let me know. Don't think you have to, but it would make things easier, you know."

I bit my lip slightly. He did have a point. I can't keep using a computer to tell them what they want to know. I'd have to talk eventually.

The old man had stood up now, and giving me one last pat on the head he turned to leave.

It was now or never.

I opened my mouth.

"Wait!" I flinched at my croaky voice. I forgot I hadn't used it for a while.

The old man jumped like someone had slapped him. Slowly, he turned around and met my gaze.

I gave a small, genuine smile. "I'm ready to talk now."

AN: He talked! He talked! One reviewer said it would be cool to have this chapter in Yami's point of view, and another wanted Yami to talk soon, so I decided to put the both together! What do you think?

There's a little button in the corner marked 'Submit Review' Please lock it and let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5: Promise

**AN: I thought hard about what do put in the chapters, and I've decided that I'll put Yami's P.O.V every few chapters. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own YuGiOh!**

**Chapter Five: Promise**

Normal POV

Solomon felt like fainting when he heard a croaky but deep voice call behind him. He slowly turned around to face Yami, who was still tucked in bed.

Yami gave a small but genuine smile. "I'm ready to talk now."

Solomon nodded dumbly before he walked back to the bed and sat down, making sure not to sit on the boy's feet. "So… How long have you been an orphan, Yami?"

"As long as I can remember." Yami replied. His voice was still croaky, but it seemed to get better the more he used it. "I kept being moved around, and the families that adopted me didn't like me." He paused for a moment. "I was even beginning to think that no one cared. No one did before today."

"Well, that's changing right now." Solomon said with a smile. "You are among friends here, Yami. Remember that, okay?"

Yami nodded quickly.

Solomon then reached out with a hand and gently touched the scar on over Yami's eye. The youth flinched slightly, but he didn't back away. "Where did you get this scar, Yami? How long have you had it?"

"I…" Yami stopped himself to compose his nerves before starting again. "Two weeks after I was taken by that last family, I was told to wash the dishes. But when I dropped one, they got made and my foster father beat me. I don't think he meant for the cut on my face, but that didn't mean he cared when I got it. I've had it for nearly two years now."

"And you never told anyone?"

Yami shook his head. "They said if I told anyone they'd kill me."

Solomon felt anger boiling at Yami's reply. How could people be so cruel? "Now, uh, you don't have to answer this one, but if you can… why do you have a burn shaped like the KaibaCorp logo?"

"It's a reminder." Yami replied, rubbing the same shoulder absently. "They told me that the only reason they adopted me was because I was an orphan and I was displaying some 'technical advantages'. They burned that logo on me so that I wouldn't forget. They said that anyone who works in KaibaCorp was bad and had to be dealt with. I think they wanted me to hate the company as much as they did."

"But you don't, do you?" Solomon asked gently.

Yami shook his head again. "I don't see a reason to hate them. From what I saw on the news, they were a gaming company that helps young children enjoy the youth they have."

"_Pity they didn't help you. But that's going to change."_ Solomon thought before he looked at Yami again. "So, do you remember anything about your real family?"

Yami didn't answer at first, but instead held the phoenix pendent in both hands. Then he spoke. "I only remember a voice. My mother, I think. I hear her singing, I don't know what song, but somehow I know she was singing to me." He paused to look at the pendent. "They say this was the only thing I had when I was found."

Solomon looked puzzled. "Found?"

"Yes." Yami replied, nodding. "I was found outside Domino Orphanage, wrapped in a bed sheet with this pendent. By law they had to let me keep it, but I know that this belonged to someone in my family, hoping that they would come back for me."

His face fell and tears began to form, and his voice came out just over a whisper. "But they never came. For sixteen years they never came. I want to know who they are, and why they left me. Even if they don't want me back, I just want to know…"

His voice broke out as he began sobbing quietly, prompting Solomon to pull him into an embrace.

"Hush, hush." Solomon soothed as he rubbed Yami's back. "It'll be okay, I promise, you'll see." He gently laid the youth down and tucked him in again. "Now, you get some sleep, and maybe later we can start work, okay?"

Yami nodded as he rubbed his eyes with his forearm. He said nothing more, fearing that his voice would break again if he did, so he simply curled up in the sheets, holding the phoenix pendent close.

Solomon watched him until Yami finally fell asleep, and then he quietly left the room and shut the door, leaning against it as he sighed.

"I'll help you, Yami." He whispered to the air. "You'll find your family, I promise you that."

**AN: Well, that's it for this chapter. I'm still not sure what to put in, though. You know, I have the climax of the story all planned out, but I'm stumped on how to get there. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Face Of The Criminal

AN: Next chappie up! Sorry it took so long, but I've had a few family problems that may make my updates a little delayed. Plus, I'm running out of ideas for chapters in this fic. Advice and ideas welcome in reviews!

**Anyway, here you go!**

**Chapter 6: The Face Of The Criminal**

Normal POV

Yami returned to the lounge about an hour after his nap, and Kaiba had then arrived at the house an hour later. Now, the gang were all gathered around the laptop in the lounge.

"So are you sure you're okay for this?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes." Yami replied quietly. He may have begun to talk, but he was still nervous around the Kaibas.

Seto stepped forward and clicked a file on the laptop. "Here is a list of all the employees at Kaibacorp. If you can, tell us who your foster parents are and who they really work for."

Yami nodded and began flicking through the files. The gang were surprised at how fast the youth's fingers skimmed across the keyboard.

"You've done this a lot, huh?" Joey asked.

Yami gave another nod. "I was trained to hack into systems and install viruses that won't be detected until it's too late. The only way to eliminate these viruses is to use the codes I used on the Kuriboh Virus." He paused as he gazed at the screen. "Okay, here they are. That's them."

Everyone looked at the screen. On it were two pictures, one the man in the suit they had seen earlier, and the other the woman who was with him.

"That's those guys from the house." Tristan said.

Kaiba looked at Yami. "Can you find anything out about them from here?"

Yami smiled. "I can." He typed at the keyboard to access the web, and put in the address for a website that make Seto growl.

"Shrouter I should have known."

Yami barely paused. "This is the website they usually log in on. Give me a minute to hack in."

The gang waited with baited breath as Yami's fingers flew over the keyboard. A password login screen appeared and Yami typed in a user name and then put in a password, of which all could be seen were stars. Then, to the surprise of the gang, another screen appeared with a new login section. Yami typed a command and tHe reply was the result:

PASSWORD ACCEPTED. WELCOME, SILENT MAGICIAN

HACKING INTO SHROUTER ENTERPRISES…

PASSWORD FOUND

The original password login screen returned, and seven stars appeared in the password box. A second when the words ACCESS GRANTED appeared on the screen in green letters.

"Whoa, you're good." Mokuba said.

Yami only responded with a nod of his head, and opened a file for the two foster parents. Kaiba leaned closer to read it.

"Mr and Mrs Celtz" he read. "Foster parents of 16 year-old.." He paused. "Atem."

The others looked confused as Joey said "They have another kid?"

Yami shook his head. "No. when they adopted me they changed my name. I was always known as Yami, but they wouldn't accept it. They said that it was my past, and that I should forget it. I'm sorry I lied, but I wanted to be called by my birth name."

"We can understand that, Yami." Solomon said, placing his hand on the youth's shoulder. "They must have changed your name so that your real family couldn't track you down."

"Well, they're gonna pay for what they've done, right Seto?" Mokuba said.

Kaiba nodded. "Tomorrow morning, we're going to go over there and deal with them."

Yami shook his head. "If they realise I've told you, they'll kill me. I can't."

Yugi stepped forward. "Please. You're the only person who can put them away. We can't let them get away with this. Not just for trying to destroy KaibaCorp, but also for mistreating you. Please help?"

Yami looked at him for a moment, and then he sighed. "Okay."

"Then it's settled." Kaiba said, standing tall. "Tomorrow we'll put these creeps to justice once and for all."

**AN: Crap chapter, I know. I told you I'm running out of ideas! This fic will be completed in a few more chapter, if I calculated right. And also, the mystery of who widened their eyes in Chapter 3 will be revealed! Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7: Confrontation

**Next Chappie up! Hooray!**

**Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Never have, never will!**

**Chapter 7: Confrontation**

The next day, Yugi, Yami and the gang met up at KaibaCorp. Yami had been pretty nervous at first, clinging to Solomon's arm, but he relaxed a little once they were in the building.

"Who did you call earlier, Gramps?" Yugi asked. Before they left the Game Shop, Solomon had made a phone call and not told them who he spoke to.

Solomon smiled. "Someone who will help clean up this godforsaken mess."

Yugi blinked, puzzled, but left it there. When his grandfather had _that_ smile, it was better not to ask why.

The gang were shown to Kaiba's office, where they found the CEO at his desk while Mokuba was on a couch to the far side of the room. If one wasn't looking for it you'd never know it was there.

"I've called Mrs Celtz here." Kaiba said as the gang sat on various chairs. "She'll be here in a few minutes."

Tea looked at Yami where he was sitting on the couch with Solomon, and noticed that he was kneading the cloth of the white t-shirt he wore. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Yami looked up and quickly nodded. "Yeah. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can get on with my life."

"That's the spirit." Yugi said.

It was then that the doors opened, and the secretary let a woman into the office/ the gang recognised her as the woman from the house, only now she had a spotless red suit and skirt on.

"You asked to see me, Mr. Kaiba?" She asked.

Kaiba nodded. "Where is Mr Celtz?"

Mrs Celtz smiled a little. "He had to stay at home. Our dear son has gone missing and my husband decided to stay there in case he came back. We've been so worried."

Mokuba stood up. "No need, Mrs Celtz. We've found him."

Mrs Celtz looked over at the couch to see Yami, and her face lit up in what seemed to be relief. But no matter how effective it was, the gang knew that it was as fake as her concern. "Oh, Atem. Where have you been? Your father and I have been so worried about you!"

Yami scowled, much to Mrs Celtz's surprise. "_He_ isn't my father, and my name is Yami."

Apparently taken aback by Yami's sudden confidence, Mrs Celtz faltered before regaining her composure. "Oh, sweetheart, using your nickname agin? I don't know hwy you do it. I'm sure people would much rather call you by your real name." She moved towards the couch, apparently intending to hug the youth. "Now come here and give me a cuddle. I missed you so much."

Seeing the movement and knowing it was fake, Yami shrank down the couch and Solomon stood up. "His real name is Yami, and don't pull the distrught mother routine. He tole us everything and we even have proof."

Mrs Celtz stopped. "Proof of what?"

"Come off it!" Mokuba snapped. "You beat him into making a computer virus to ruin KaibaCorp, and you work for our rival company ShrouterCorp!"

"That's ridiculous!" Mrs Celtz exclaimed. "We would never do that! You must have made a mistake! I love my son, I would never hurt him!"

"That's a lie!" Yami cried, standing up. "That's all you ever did to me! If I didn't create a virus for KaibaCorp you'd beat me! When I accidently broke your favourate plate he beat me so hard a knife nearly took my eye out!" He was on the verge of tears as all his frustraion flooded out. "You never cared! You only used me to ruin KaibaCorp because you couldn't do it yourself!"

Silenec filled the room, only broken when the intercom on Kaiba's desk bleeped and the secretary said, "Mr Kaiba, the police are here as you requested."

"Send them up." Kaiba replied before addressing Mrs Celtz. "I took the liberty of calling the police. The are coming up to arrest you with child abuse and neglegence, and for conspiring to ruin this company."

Mrs Celtz looked desperate as she spproached Yami. "Please, sweetheart, tell them the truth. Stop playing and let's go home."

"No!" Yami replied, backing away. "I won't go back! This is going to stop right now!"

"But sweetheart, don't you want to go home?" Mrs Celtz pleaded, even as two policemen appeared through the doors.

Yami shook his head as he backed away even more. "I-I do, but where I was before isn't home! It's hell!"

Meanwhile, Kaiba had been talking on the intercom again, and once he was done he sent a nod to Solomon. "On their way."

"No!" Mrs Celtz shrieked as the policemen took her by the arms, trying to cuff her. "Atem! Don't let them take me away! You won't have anywhere else to go! It'll be back to the orphanage!"

"I don't care!" Yami yelled back. "Anywhere is better than with you!"

That seemed to make Mrs Celtz snap. "Why you little-" She surprisingly fought off both policemen and rushed over to Yami, grabbing his arm and raising her hand to strike him. "You little-"

"You'd better take you filthy hands off of my son if you know what's good for you!"

The sudden booming of a female voice made everyone freeze and look over at the doors, to find someone who made almost everyone who know her gasp in surprise. And Yugi made the surprise really hit home by exclaiming one single word:

"Mom!"

* * *

**AN: Uh-Oh! Cliffhanger! You'll have to wait til next chapter to know what's going on. Review and I'll tell you when the next chappie comes!**


	8. Chapter 8: Home At Last

**Blood Is Thicker Than Water**

A.N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a long time, but a tragedy has occurred in my home. My mother, after being diagnosed with cancer late 2006, sadly passed away late June 2007. Less than two months later, August 11, my grandmother also passed away. I lost the will to continue for a while, but when I checked my e-mail one day a few weeks later, I found that several people had listed me as one of their favourite authors because of my Yin Yang Shadows fic. This knowledge has made me realise that I have to finish this fic as well as the other one at least, so here is the next update. Also, I would like to thank those who gave me my will to write back:

yamisangel101

Yami'sotherHikari

Ghetto-Kaiba09

**Thank you all for your support**

**Final Chapter: Home At Last**

"Mom!?" Yugi was shocked, as was everyone else in the room. Mrs Motou, short black hair and apron included, stood in the doorway with a look that could kill.

"What in the world?" Mrs Celtz exclaimed. "How can _you_ be his mother?"

Mrs Motou couldn't hide a growl. "I'm his mother. I should know when I'm looking at my own son." Her face softened as she turned her gaze toward Yami, smiling gently at him. "Sweetie, do you remember me?"

Yami's eyes narrowed slightly, recognition clear in his amethyst orbs. "I… remember your voice…."

"How about the necklace?" Mrs Motou asked. "The phoenix pendent I left you…. Do you still have it?"

There was a pause as Yami dug into his shirt for the pendent he hung around his neck, and he simply stared at it for a few minutes.

Mrs Motou smiled again as she stepped into the room. "Do you know what the phoenix means? It's a symbol of rebirth, returning to whence it came…. Huh, I didn't really think much of it at first, but now it makes sense…."

"Listen, miss," Mrs Celtz interrupted as she tightened her grip on Yami's arm. "Unless you can prove that this boy is your son, he's not going anywhere with you."

"Gladly." Mrs Motou replied as she pulled out what looked like an old newspaper clipping. "It says right here about an incident that occurred sixteen years ago at Domino Hospital. A baby was taken from the maternity ward just hours after seeing his mother. Two months later the baby was presumed dead and the search was called off. What this article _doesn't_ say is that whoever took that baby then left him at the orphanage with only a bed sheet and a small necklace."

Solomon huffed. "There is one small detail. Why would this specific baby be taken? Because there were two."

Yugi looked at him in shock. "You mean…?"

Mrs Motou nodded. "I gave birth to twin boys. Not quite identical, but twins none the less. I gave the older twin a necklace – a phoenix necklace."

Yami finally looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "M-mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?" Mrs Motou asked softly.

"Mom!" Yami managed to pry himself free from Mrs Celtz's grip and ran across the room, into Mrs Motou's arms. The scene was similar to a fairytale reunion, and the watchers couldn't help but smile.

Yugi looked over at Solomon. "How did mom know we were here?"

The old man smiled. "When Yami told us his name I recognised it immediately. So I called your mother and told her the story."

"And you didn't tell me because…?" Yugi prompted.

"Well, I had to be sure." Solomon replied. "When the search was called off we decided that we would keep it quiet until the time was right. That time is now."

Yami hadn't heard a word they said, he was too busy enjoying the feeling of being in his mother's arms. The fear of adults that had built up in his heart over the years simply vanished under the warm feeling. He sighed against his mother's clothes as she began humming softly while running her fingers through his hair.

Kaiba stood up, having been silent the whole time. "Officers, take Mrs Celtz away. Arrest her for child abuse."

The woman screamed the whole way out.

* * *

Yami's P.O.V. 

I hummed in my sleep as I felt fingers running through my hair. It had been a week since I'd found my mom and I'm now living in the Game Shop with both my mother and my brother. It had taken a while for me to come to terms with it, but it had now sunk in that I have a _family_.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I opened my eyes to look up at my mom as she brushed a blonde bang out of my eyes. We were outside in our garden, having a picnic. I'd never had one before, and when Mrs– I mean mom found out, she freaked. Yugi and… grandpa were inside getting the food, while mom and I were waiting.

I shrugged in response to her question. "Dunno…. I'm just thinking about things…."

"Ah." Mom said, just before her face turned thoughtful. "What was it you said you wanted yesterday?"

For a second I didn't know what she meant, but then it clicked and I couldn't help a small blush. "A-a puppy…." I'd always wanted one but all the foster families I'd been with either couldn't or didn't want them.

Mom smiled. "Well, then, what would that be your brother's got?"

Puzzled, I sat up from where I'd been lying with my head on mom's lap to look at the back door, only to blink and rubbed them to make sure I wasn't seeing things. My brother, Yugi, and my grandfather were there, smiling. Grandpa was holding a basket with food in it, but my attention was mostly on my brother.

Or rather, the small, black Doberman puppy in his arms.

"Oh. My. God!" I exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Yugi laughed as the small dog squirmed out from his arms and ran over to me, its tongue lapping out of its mouth. I didn't get the chance to get up before it ran into me, barking madly. "We thought you'd like it. He's yours."

"What are you going to name him?" Solomon asked.

I thought hard as I rubbed the dog's ears, mainly to stop it from licking me. "I think he'll be... Khan."

Khan seemed to like his new name, as he licked my face furiously.

Mom laughed as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Consider him a gift. Now, let's get this picnic started."

I looked around at everyone as we all settled down for our picnic. I can't help but think that as bad as things were before… that's how good they're going to be….

**The End**

AN: Finally, my first finished fic. How was it? Good? Bad? I'm actually thinking of doing a sequel, but I need to know that people will read it. If you want a sequel, let me know!

P.S: This fic, as well as my Yin Yang Shadows fic, will be finished in memory of my mother. It was her that gave me the courage to put these fics up, so it is in her memory that I finish them.


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